Certain stringed instruments are susceptible to reproduction on or by electronic musical instruments such as electronic organs. The harpsichord is one such instrument. The harpsichord is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the depression of a key causes the associated string or strings to be plucked as one would manually pluck a banjo or guitar. During the time the key is held down the associated string is free to vibrate. Upon release of the key the plucking device or plectrum comes in contact with the string once again remaining in such contact until a damping means contacts the string. When the plectrum, being of a hard material, contacts the string causing a vibration, a sound is produced which in general is rich in harmonic content. With regard to the sound produced by a harpsichord that sound could be described as tinny. The string snubbing action caused by the plectrum on the release of the key quickly damps the string causing the resulting sound to decay away or diminish quickly. As an additional result of the plectrum coming in contact with the string, there is a positive shift in the pitch of the resultant sound due to the slight shortening of the vibrating portion of the string. Although the effect produced by the string snubbing action is short in duration, its contribution to the overall harpsichord sound is significant.
A different type of stringed keyboard instrument is the piano. The piano differs from the harpsichord in that the strings are struck with a hammer on depressing a key and damped with soft felt upon key release. The piano also produces a sound characteristic of that instrument as its strings are being forced to a non-vibrating condition. The result of the damping of the string is similar to that of the harpsichord in causing the resultant sound to decay or diminish relatively quickly.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a means for simulating a string snub effect by introducing a different set of parameters for the harmonic content, amplitude, pitch and rate of decay in the resulting sound upon key release.
It is another object of the present invention to be able to more accurately reproduce the sounds associated with struck or plucked strings as the strings are damped by either the plucking means and/or a damping means causing a shortening in the vibrating portion of the string, thus, a change in the resultant associated sound.
Other objects will appear hereinafter.